Guide To Cloud Computing For Biz Owners

Guide to Cloud Computing For

Business Owners

An Introduction to Technology,

Growth and Applications

Sunny .P. Badalera

HYBRID

PRIVATE

PUBLIC

COMMUNITY

IaaS

SaaS

PaaS

API

DATA

Cloud Computing

All Rights Reserved Page 2

Disclaimer...................................................................................................................................................... 4

What Will You Find in this eBook? ................................................................................................................ 5

Section One: Introduction ............................................................................................................................. 6

a) What is a Cloud? ............................................................................................................................... 6

b) Early Clouds ..................................................................................................................................... 11

c) Clouds in the Future ........................................................................................................................ 17

Section Two: Getting Inside Cloud Technology What really makes it work? ............................................. 23

Life Before Cloud Computing .................................................................................................................. 24

Hybrid Cloud Environment – Is This Is the Best Approach? .................................................................... 27

How Does Cloud Technology Work? ....................................................................................................... 29

a) The Front End .................................................................................................................................. 30

b) The Back End ................................................................................................................................... 31

Section Three: Examining the Cloud System .............................................................................................. 34

a) Types of Cloud Services ................................................................................................................... 38

Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) ........................................................................................................ 38

Platform as a Service (PaaS) ................................................................................................................ 42

Software as a Service (SaaS) ............................................................................................................... 48

b) Understanding the Deployment Modes ......................................................................................... 54

Public Clouds ....................................................................................................................................... 56

Private Clouds ..................................................................................................................................... 62

Hybrid Clouds ...................................................................................................................................... 72

Community Clouds .............................................................................................................................. 79

c) Features of Cloud Computing ......................................................................................................... 81

Elasticity .............................................................................................................................................. 81

Agility .................................................................................................................................................. 83

Reliability ............................................................................................................................................. 84

Virtualization ....................................................................................................................................... 85

Quality of Service ................................................................................................................................ 86

d) Benefits of Using Cloud Technology ............................................................................................... 88

Ease of Use .......................................................................................................................................... 89

Flexibility ............................................................................................................................................. 89

Increased Storage ............................................................................................................................... 90

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Economic Considerations .................................................................................................................... 91

Section Four: Get to Know the Cloud Giants .............................................................................................. 92

a) Google ............................................................................................................................................. 92

b) Microsoft ....................................................................................................................................... 102

c) Amazon ......................................................................................................................................... 109

d) IBM ................................................................................................................................................ 114

e) Yahoo ............................................................................................................................................ 117

Section Five: Accessing the Cloud ............................................................................................................. 121

a) Using the Platforms offering Cloud Computing ............................................................................ 121

b) Picking up the Right Web Applications ......................................................................................... 123

c) Consider Different Web Browsers ................................................................................................ 124

d) What You Need to Know about Cloud API’s – Application Programming Interface ..................... 125

Section Six: Discover the Business Value of Cloud Computing ................................................................. 127

Section Seven: Cloud Computing goes Mobile ......................................................................................... 134

Section Eight: Challenges Faced by Cloud Computing .............................................................................. 137

a) Security of Data ............................................................................................................................. 137

b) What if something goes wrong? (Data recovery) ......................................................................... 140

c) Management of Cloud Services .................................................................................................... 141

d) Limitation of Application – one app does not fit all ...................................................................... 142

Section Nine: The Rise of Cloud Computing in times of Financial Crisis (2008) ....................................... 143

Section Ten: Conclusion ............................................................................................................................ 148

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Dedication To the two girls in my life, my love Shashi and my daughter Simran

Acknowledgements

My special thanks to my Mum Jaya and Dad Ganapathy for their unconditional

love and the many sacrifice’s they made to make me who I am today.

I would also like to thank my two sisters Sithara and Sangeetha and my brother

Sanjay for being in my life.

Disclaimer No part of information presented in this eBook can be reproduced or stored in

any form including print or electronic without prior permission from the author.

Although utmost care has been taken during the preparation of this eBook, the

author and/or publisher bear(s) no responsibility for any losses incurred due to

misinterpretation of information.

Since cloud computing is an ever changing field, the readers should follow

information presented in this eBook with due deligence. There may be

significant changes in cloud technology after this eBook is written; therefore, it

may not fit every purpose.

THIS EBOOK CANNOT BE USED AS A SUBSTITUTE FOR PROFESSIONAL ADVICE.

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What Will You Find in this eBook? This eBook is helpful for everyone who wants to know more about cloud

computing. In a nut shell, cloud computing has become quite popular over the

recent years. If you have heard the term for the first time and want to know what

exactly this hype is all about, you have found the right resource.

You can find a detailed explanation of how cloud computing started and turned

into a huge revolution. This eBook also covers the bits and pieces including

services, infrastructure, advantages and features that make cloud computing so

effective.

This eBook can also serve as a valuable tool for small and mid sized business

owners who want to make the most of cloud computing. If you are trying to

answer a couple of tough questions related to cloud computing, you will definitely

benefit from the information presented in this eBook.

Understanding different aspects of cloud computing is very vital if you want to

grasp the basics of this groundbreaking technology. You can use the cloud to

transform your business and manage your resources effectively and, most

importantly, in real time.

So what are you waiting for? Continue reading this eBook to build a strong

foundation about cloud computing and make more informed decisions.

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Section One: Introduction

a) What is a Cloud? Cloud computing, basically, is a technology that is used to maintain data and

other numerous applications with the help of internet and remote servers. You

can use this technology without any software installation. Cloud computing allows

you to access your important files and information on any computer with the help

of an internet connection.

Earlier, computers could only work inside your home or office, but now things are

different. You should thank the internet as now you can use computers from any

location in the world – since they are in the ‘clouds’.

Still confused? Think about it this way. You bring home a PC to create word

documents. How do you proceed? You install appropriate software such as MS

office that is compatible with your system. This software runs on your machine

and you continue to work.

Since cloud computing is on the verge of becoming the next big thing, its use is

fairly easy. Putting it in simple words, cloud computing is something that requires

no software or server installation from your side. This technology has reached a

level that you can use cloud services with speed and agility like never before.

You can say that cloud computing is the next stage of internet evolution. It gives

you the power to do everything. Whether it is your personal assignment or

business collaboration, cloud is at your service whenever and wherever you ask

for it.

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If you are new to this concept, you can imagine cloud computing to be a means of

utilizing all new kinds of technology related services. Consumers and businesses

these days have become very choosy about the services they opt for; therefore,

internet also needs to evolve with time.

Cloud computing has been in use for quite some time and most common

examples include email services such as those provided by Yahoo, Hotmail and

Gmail.

What all do you need to access your email account? The answer is pretty simple,

you would say – an internet connection that works. The server controlling your

emails is in the ‘cloud’ and is managed by the service provider, i.e. Hotmail, Gmail

or Yahoo.

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It can be a little bothersome when you have to access multiple servers from a

distant location. You may worry about storage space and server breakdown.

Cloud computing actually takes away your worries as you can access any server

from anywhere in the world.

That’s not enough. You can use different kinds of services that are available in the

cloud without significant increase in your expenses. Cloud computing services are

acquired through the cloud and you can even have a hybrid or combination of

different services.

Cloud computing means you have more choices when it comes to emails, sharing

documents and word processing. This technology works well for everyone, even

those who are not very familiar with the use of the internet. You don’t need to

focus too much on the technology or the working of servers. All you need to do is

concentrate on your task or business – the only thing that really matters.

Actually, you don’t need to concentrate on the technical aspects or the processes

involved. Cloud computing is a lot similar to public utilities we use everyday. You

don’t really care how water or electricity reaches you; instead, you focus on other

tasks you need to do using these services.

You will also come across the term ‘cloud’, which is often considered synonymous

with internet. Every person may have a different meaning associated with it, but

you don’t need to worry. The meaning gets bigger and better when cloud is

combined with the effectiveness of a computer system.

You will find majority of businesses that plan to move to cloud computing. Many

of them are currently taking a good view of their business strategies to figure out

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things that need to run on traditional systems and those that need to be delivered

using cloud computing.

If you run a business, you can take the advantage of numerous services

(highlighted in later sections) offered by cloud computing.

Before moving ahead, let’s discuss few important terms that will commonly be

used throughout the eBook.

Cloud services are simply the utilities you consume. For example, as a simple

consumer you can use email services, while a business can use more complex

services such as NetSuite for ERP.

The term cloud computing refers to the vast infrastructure that is responsible to

provide these services and grant you easy access.

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Basically, you can breakdown cloud computing into three major sections. The first

section is called storage, remaining two can be called application and connectivity

respectively.

Each section serves a different purpose depending on the model it is used in. You

can find more information regarding how this technology works in the later

sections.

Cloud computing can be used by simple consumers like you and me. It can also

benefit individuals and businesses around the world.

Recently, you may have heard a lot about the huge shift towards cloud

computing. This shift has affected many sectors in the technology industry

including software companies, manufacturers of computer hardware and most

importantly, internet service providers.

You will be surprised to read this but you must have used cloud computing

without even being aware of it. Your online shopping, which according to you

originates somewhere on the internet, is actually controlled by a server from a

location you are not familiar with.

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Does this ruin all the excitement of using one of the hottest trends in the field of

internet? Well, not really. Cloud computing still has a long way to go and you

should be ready for more surprises.

The cloud was here a long time ago, but where exactly is it going to go? As a

business professional, you would also think about how you can use cloud

computing to support the growth and progress of your business.

b) Early Clouds Surprisingly, the concept of cloud computing is as old as the computer itself. Are

you still confused? The fact is cloud ideas were given by pioneers such as J.

Licklider of ARPANET fame and John McCarthy who came up with the term

artificial intelligence in the 1960’s. ARPANET is considered the first core network

that led to the existence of global internet.

During initial stages, the ideas of cloud computing were limited to managing

financial transactions and census data. McCarthy was the first person to suggest

that computing can also be sold the same way as water, electricity or any other

similar utility.

The 60’s, however, were not a pro-computer era. Personal computers were

expensive and fragile. Actually, during this time it was quite rare to find a

computer at home. Most programs or information was written on punch cards

made of paper that you would submit to a computer operator. People would wait

for several hours and even days to get a reply or output.

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With the introduction of more affordable personal computers in the 70’s and

80’s, more and more people took a step to buy one. This, on the other hand, was

not favorable for cloud computing.

In the early 80’s, most people had standalone computers, i.e. there was no

centralized system of networking or connecting computers. You can say that

applications on a particular computer were marooned on the desktop.

As mentioned earlier, people had to wait for a long

time to get a result; therefore, they chose more

convenient storage options such as floppy disks

instead of a paper punch card.

During this time, there was no way you could share

data or information with your neighbor without a

platform. This limitation also created a lot of security

issues, especially due to data loss, disk crashes and widespread attack by

computer virus.

The 90’s without doubt was a very favorable time and marked the arrival of

modern cloud computing. There was a phenomenon called ‘world wide web’ that

created waves globally. The whole idea was to connect the world and the concept

was very fascinating.

You will come across many businesses that were networking their computers by

the end of 90’s. The information was shared, stored and transferred more easily.

The modern technology of cloud computing made possible that applications were

moved off the desktop and placed on the server.

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It is said that early years of internet were very simple. People only searched the

internet for information or sent emails. With the passage of time, the usage of

internet has changed drastically. There is practically nothing that does not involve

the internet. This is the main reason why cloud computing presents a lot of hope

for most internet users.

1 Old Yahoo Homepage

During the 90’s, the internet found many more applications excluding the domain

of research and academics. The general public was impressed by the performance

of these applications and the service providers wanted to fine-tune the

application they were hosting.

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As the internet technology was bombarded with more ideas, it also bought some

success to the field of cloud computing. If you look at old white papers and

diagrams, you will find internet shown as a cloud, possibly because people

thought it was somewhere up in the sky.

This was a brilliant concept and quite ahead of its time. It is also believed that the

idea of cloud computing was first used in the telecom industry. The data could be

transferred from one point to the other without being predetermined by human

operators.

Putting it in simple words, you can put your message into the cloud and it will be

transferred to the other side. Slowly, the cloud concept began to revolutionize the

IT industry.

It was 1997, when cloud computing received a scholarly identification. After the

term was used by Ramnath Chellappa in a lecture delivered at the University of

Texas, cloud computing entered mainstream action.

Salesforce.com in 1999 launched a completely new model for applications

running on their servers. Instead of hosting specific applications, Salesforce.com

began to charge consumers for the utilities running on its servers. These

applications were delivered to businesses over the internet.

This offered many advantages for the new businesses especially small companies.

It was fairly easy for them to use the services at low costs. The companies did not

need to invest in costly servers to run the application they desired.

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The biggest advantage, however, was the fact that these applications allowed

small businesses to team up and share information without the involvement of

complex VPN (Virtual Private Network).

The applications provided by Salesforce.com lacked a few features but this was

insignificant due to their low costs and ease of collaboration. Cost effectiveness

particularly is an important feature of cloud computing.

Amazon too, around at the same time, stepped into the picture. Most of us

actually regard Amazon nothing more than a place to buy books and other items

but it is not true. Interestingly, Amazon has a fantastic IT infrastructure that

provides services such as online storage and computation.

In the times of dot-com bubble, Amazon worked every bit to expand its network

and data center performance. It also worked to increase the reliability of its

servers.

2009 was the real

turning point for

cloud computing.

This was the time

when Google

Apps made a

grand entry. It is

not difficult to

guess that Google

Apps offer web

based solutions that allow you to work from any computer you like.

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Actually, you don’t even need a traditional computer to access these applications.

It really does not matter if you use your PC, laptop, tablet, notebook, eBook

reader, or even your smartphone to exchange and receive data.

The three companies mentioned previously, i.e. Salesforce.com, Amazon and

Google also offer the three main models of cloud computing, which will be

discussed in detail in the later sections.

Salesforce.com offers cloud computing as an example of SaaS or Software as a

Service. Amazon is rated as the pioneer of a model that is known as IaaS or

Infrastructure as a Service. Google’s model of cloud computing is also called PaaS

or Platform as a Service.

These three models are continuously evolving with the changes taking place in

the field of technology. Although cloud computing models have different names,

they do have some features in common.

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c) Clouds in the Future Majority of technology experts and survey results suggest that by the end of

2020, large number of people will use cloud computing applications and remote

servers to share and access information. Personal computers mainly will not find

much use; however, they will remain in the picture.

So what can you say about the future of cloud computing? It does look bright and

dominant to a great extent. In other words, this technology has the potential to

move ahead faster than any other new technology that has emerged till date. You

will be able to perform computer and communication related tasks easily with the

help of cloud computing.

Before getting into the technical details, let us first see what you are doing in the

cloud right now. You have an email account on a popular web service such as

Hotmail, Gmail or Yahoo. Interestingly, Hotmail was launched in 1996, so you

cannot say it to be

something very new.

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Leaving the history lesson aside, you maybe a fan of popular blogging website

such as Twitter and use it frequently. You will also find a number of microblogging

websites and it is likely that you and your friends use them too. Let’s move

forward. You share your videos using YouTube, while Flickr allows you to share

your photos.

EBay and Amazon give you an amazing shopping experience and you can connect

with your friends anywhere in the world using Facebook.

Phew, this was a long list of popular websites and applications, but do you know

what they have in common?

Most of these services are found in the cloud. This does not mean you will not be

able to use them when desktops become outdated. Most experts believe that

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most computer functions will be transferred to the cloud but your personal

computer will also remain functional.

This stage, however, is the initial step for the future. You need to wait and see the

changes in cloud computing that lie ahead. About a decade back, no one imagined

that cloud computing will become so popular and rule the internet. Today, things

are very different considering the fact that there are rapid advancements in

technology and you can expect cloud computing to get more powerful in the

future.

There are a few changes that you can expect to happen in the near future. First,

you will notice a marked difference in the way we all in general interact with

computers. This is possible due to the launch of exciting new devices such as

smartphones and netbook computers.

If you have an iPhone, you will probably be aware that you can also use it instead

of your computer. Once your smartphone is equipped with an internet

connection, you can use it to access a variety of web based applications. There are

a number of fast internet connections available out there. You can use a 3G, or

even 4G connection to achieve increased speed, better connectivity and faster

downloads.

You can expect even better internet connections in the future. This idea also

presents great hope for the type and amount of data that can be accessed and

shared using mobile devices. The increasing popularity of cloud computing

applications will also help vendors and companies that want to deliver services in

this particular domain, i.e. web based or internet applications.

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The innovative work that is done can be used to improve the functionality and use

of applications on mobile devices as well as desktop computers. Majority of

technology and business experts who are interviewed these days stress on the

fact that cloud computing will also get bigger and better as it offers many

advantages to users.

You will definitely agree to this. Imagine a situation where you have to create a

word document and you don’t have your PC. There is no need to panic as Google

Apps comes to your rescue. You have easy and instant access to one of the best

word processing software, i.e. Google Docs.

If you don’t have any idea about Google Docs, you need to know the effectiveness

of this resource for majority of users. You can use this online application as one

complete solution to create fabulous word documents, spreadsheets, diagrams,

drawings and even presentations.

Google Apps is not only available for personal use. One of the most popular

newspapers in the U.K., namely the Daily Telegraph is also partially written using

this online software since 2008.

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Since cloud applications are accessible from any location, some technology

experts suggest that this will lead to the use of many different devices to access

information and applications.

Even those who don’t really like the concept of cloud computing will have to

move to this new concept and become better by using clouds. Technology experts

have come up with a list of predictions based on the growth and success of cloud

computing.

According to recent results, the focus of cloud technology will shift more towards

business applications and services. Employees in an organization will then be able

to perform and manage their work from any internet powered device and

location.

Marketing experts suggest that more and more businesses will turn towards

public clouds and hybrid cloud strategies. You can find a detailed description of

public, private and hybrid clouds in the later sections.

Major improvements are also expected in software infrastructure especially HTML

and Web 2.0 software applications. You will see increased competition in Internet

services because every service provider will want to make them cheaper and

faster. How will this improvement be of use to your cloud computing experience?

First, you will only need to use Web 2.0 technology to access web based

application on your device such as iPhone. As cloud technology becomes more

and more advanced, greater number of businesses will implement the technology

to ensure that they get rood results.

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An article published on The Telegraph read that cloud computing will be the only

choice left for businesses in the future. If an organization or business fails to

incorporate cloud computing as a regular part of working, it will get hard for them

to survive.

At a time when cloud computing continues its domination, there are still many

questions about its openness, security problems, loopholes, control over data and

choice of application. You can find a discussion on these limiting factors in the

forthcoming chapter titled Challenges Faced by Cloud Computing.

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Guide To Cloud Computing For Biz Owners